Collapsible mold



April 1935. c. e. RICHARDS 1,997,232

COLLAPSIBLE MOLD Filed Oct. 8, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 1N r/ az'zvroze 63L 1 UB5 5 RIC-HARD 5 April 1935- c. G. RICHARDS 1,997,232

COLLAPSIBLE MOLD Filed Opt. 8, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 2.

GZZdUIDE G. RICMRDS TTORJVJELS UNITED STATES- P T Patented Apr. 9, 1935' 1,997,232 r COLLAPSIBLE'MOLD t I Claude Richards; Rosendale, Mo. a 7 Application October 8, 1931', SeriaIlfIoQ 567,701

ENOFFICE 7 Claims. (01 gag-128M My invention relates to molds'for forming concrete pipe or tile..

VA'primary object of the invention is to pro-p vide a collapsible mold comprising inner and outer forming members which may be readily assembled and disassembled with a minimum of labor and strain upon the parts.

, Another object of the invention is to provide a collapsible inner form or barrel comprising hinged sectionsianda single operating and lifting rod therefor and which rod incorporates a combined guide and supporting bracket providing a hinge connection between certain mold sections, there being means on' the rod cooperable with the bracket whereby the mold sections may be lifted through the bracket; or through the bracket and rodcarried mold section operating means. I 1 j nother object of the invention is to provide'a' retractible filler plate'between the free, edges of the hinged barrelsections and to soconnect the retractible filler plate and hinged barrel sections that, regardless of the size of the mold, the barrel may be placed in and automatically removed from -molchng position by merely attaching'the operating and lifting rod to a suitable crane or' hoist."

A further object ofthe invention is toprovide improved and simplified means for-forming'the bell end of the tile or-pipe. v

A still further object of the invention'isto provide a sectional outer mold member with improved means :for quickly and easily connecting and disconnecting the sections.

A' still further-object ofthe invention is to provide a moldwhich may be use'd with equal facility in forming the tile or pipe, either bell end up or hell end down depending onthe desire oftheoperator. r 1

Other objects andadvantages cfmthe'invention not specifically pointed out above will be come apparent duringfthe course of the following detailed description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings which form a part ofthisspecification and in which;

Figure 6115' a partial secti in molding the tile with the bell end down; I t Fig. 7 isga' perspective view of the outer form;

- L n V I a core.

Figff 8 is a perspective" view of the-collapsible onal view of a; slightly modified form of the invention employed 1 I o 7 Referring now to the drawings in detail, where in like numerals refer to like parts throughout the same, It! indicates the outerfmold. form t which is formed of two semi-cylindricalsections a and; [2. Angle irons l3 and I4 secured 'togthe'; vertical edges of the respective sections H, and, I2 preventsa-id edges frombe'coming deformed and also afi'ord a means of joining the two sections together. A plurality of spaced Lefshaped straps are hingedly secured at one end 'asat, Hi i to the section 12 so that when thefsections'arei; placed in mating relation, the straps may be' swunglto the position shown in Figure 3".to dis-1 posef'the other endll of said stra'p across the outer edges ofthe anglebars l3 and M; The bars Band 14, and thus the mold sections; are drawn together through the medium of cam elements [8 which are rotatably mounted as at I9 on the ends I1 of the straps 15. Each of the cam elements is ating handle 20; V V A horizontally disposed semi-circular angle iron H is riveted as at 221:0 each tions I [and I2, the purpose of said angle-irons being to form a strengthening ring toladd rigidityto the, mold and prevent deformation of the "formed with an integral loperr-w' sections thereof/ The mold I0 is enlarged at one 7 I end as at 23 to provide for formingthe bell end of the concrete tile. a "The core or barrel 24,which is 'of [course of- V lesserdiameter thanithe outer'for'm l0,'is formed of' two fsubstantially semi-cylindrical sections ,25

of the moldsecand 26 which are hingedly connected alongone 40 vertical edge through the medium 'of'js'uit'able hinges ll-"secured to the innerfaces thereof, While the sections 25 and 26 are cylindrical in: contour, they are formed so that when'ex'panded to form a. true cylinder, aHJaDD 1 0 1 is left between the free edgesjtherjeof, This space is cl'osed during the molding operation bya re; tractible'filler platelflxhaving 'a contour con; I forming to thatrof. the sections 25 and-526'. It will be noted that the edges of the sections and 0f the'plate 28 are beveled inwardly'to'facilitate l movement of theplate'into and out. operative T position.

The core is'controlled entirely through'tlie f ,d r a e e di p s e r i w le were;

2* r ing rod 29 which is slidably'mounted in vertically alined eyes 30 of horizontal bracket arms 3| mounted upon the pintles 32 of the hinges 21. A pair of braces 33 extending between the arms 3| serve to hold the eyes 30 in correctly spaced relation so as to prevent binding against the rod 29. Aswill be developed later, the brackets 3| acting through rod 29 also-constitute a sustaining supportfor the sections 25, 26 when the same are collapsed andlifted' or lowered by rod 29.

A pair of vertically spaced ,collars 34 are s1id ably mounted upon the rod 29 intermediate of the eyes 39 and are positely directed ears 35between which'i hgimf'v ner ends of a pair of oppositely directed radial arms 36. are pivoted as at 31. of the radial arms through the medium the inner surfaces of 25 and 29 intermediate the vertical edges .thereof.

Movement of the collars'34 'onjthe rod 29 is limited by suitable stop pins 39 so' that it will be.

evident that movement. of therod 29upw'ardly will result in drawing the sections 25 and 26 together to collapse the. core and. movement of the rod downwardly will result in movement of the sectionsto expanded position.

The retractible filler plate '28 is mounted upon "i a channel-shaped member 40 which lSQOllSldET-r able wider, than the plate 28 so as to contact'the inner surface of thesections 25 and 2B and thus insure correct alinement of'thepla'te 28' with said The member 40 ispivotally connected at 4|,to a pair of spaced U -shapedjmembers 42 which are rigidly secured as at 431 to a pair of spaced radial arms 44. The; arms '44 are in turn sections.

' pivotally secured asat 45: between" spaced ears 49 'formed with collars 41. which. are mounted; jast up'on the rod 29, being held from axial move m'ment, thereonby means of pins 1 in correct alinement.

ative position.

curved guide fingers 49 are mounted on the inner surface' of the sections 25 andZG adjacent the free verticaledges thereofrto insure that the'plate 29 will always'be moved into expanded'position It will be evident that up on movement oi the rod 29 up anddown to collapse and expand the core 24, the filler plate, 28. willjalso be moved out of and, into operative position. f'Duej togthe slightrelative. movement permitted between the rod 29 and the collars-343fthe filler, member will always be slightly, retractedbefore the core starts to collapseand' the core will always be fullyex-Q panded before theffillerj is forced into final open The spacing .of the partsof the core such that when the corelisrfully collapsed, the upper;

most pin 48 engages the uppermost eye 39,"there'- by taking the strain off of thejsides' of the core when the same is lifted.v In other'words the .liitg" ing force is'applied to thesections'25, 2Sby brack ets 3| atthe site of hinges v32 andalso at the pointsoi attachment of 'the to'ggle arms or levers 35" which are,assho'wn, remoyed forty five-degrees/more or less. from hinges ta'j'lhispconstruction .is very important because; it distributes the lifting stresses and. prevents warping or the sections 25, 26, and likewise; undue strain on the rodp29,brackets 3| andleversjs. Of course in thelembodiment. shown; the first-( upward movement offlrod 29 retracts section 28 where;

upon continued upward movement of ;r o.d :gg

ol s tio 2 Mi e instme ano h as shownin Figure 8 and then the'uppermos pin sttr tiara" assessments-e relation theretoby of the ring 50 after is obliquely split as at 52. fpivotally connected as formed with pairs of op 'Theouter ends" 36 are pivetally connected of a suitable U-coupli'ngto" the respective cores'ections fore the .ring. M

vfor attachment to a hoist,'a

according to the direction pull rod in {said bearings, such actuation of the core section of the mold is lifted by rod 29 through brackets 3| and levers 36 as indicated.

In order to form the inner contour of the bell end of the tile, an angular in cross section circular ring 50 is provided. The ring 50 is of an external diameter slightly larger than the internal diameter of the mold H! and rests upon the upper end of the core 24, being held in concentric means 'of spring fingers 5| carried by said ring and engaging the inner surface of said core. In orderto facilitate removal the tile is formed, the ring A hand lever 53 is W at 54 and 55 to the ends of said ring'so that upon movement of said lever about the piv'otil, the pivot 55 will be raised to contract the ring.

In the operation of the mold, the outer members Hand |2 are joined together and the core member is lowered into position and expanded, the bell forming ring is then-mounted upon, the, core and the concrete or otherplastic material 501s poured to fill the'mold. After the concrete has'set, the ring'fiii is first removed and then the core is lifted out by attachingja crane or. hoist to the upper end of the rod 29. Raising of the. rod 29 collapses the core thus freeing the same from the tile and the core may then be removed by continued lifting of the rod. The outer mold Hi 'may then be removed byreleasing. the cam locks 18' and separating the .sections H. and I2.

. .In the modified form of the invention shown v for casting tile with the bell end down. The mold in this form of the invention is identical with that above described except that the bell forming ring 5] is formed with fingersii which engage the outer surface 0 construction of the bell forming ring.ishecessitatedfldue to the fact that when the tile is cast fwiththebell end down, the core will have to be, removed bei Otherwise theoperation of this form of the invention is the same as the iirst described form. r, it 1 While apreferred embodiment of; the invention has been shown and described, itwill be understood that various changes in the details of, construction maybe resorted to without departing from the'spirit of the invention asidefined by the appended'claims,

1. A core member for; a, conduit mold or the like comprising a pair of major sections, 'hinge means connecting said major sections; at one longitudinal edge of same, a minor: mold section substantially coextensive i length with said major sections, inwardly extending brackets carin Figure 6,. a mold is' shown pried by said hinge means and'having aligned bearings in their inner ends, a pull rodslidably' carried in said bearings and providing means pair-of pivot c'arrying 1 ears fastgonsaid pull rod, a pair of levers pivoted attheir inner ends in said respective ears and having their outer ends pivoted to said minor: mold section, whereby to positively actuate said minors'ectioninwardly andoutwardly of movement'of said taking place immediately the pull minor section v rodiismoved; a pairjpi collars 'slidable on said pullrod and eachproviding a toggle arm actuating connection with said-major fmold sections, stops on said, rodjandspaced to" engage said fcol lars after predeterminedfreemovement; bun rod there through whereby to area movement upon further upward said stops whereby the of the major mold sections after movement of the minor mold section; shoulder means on said pull rod and engaging one of free edges for guiding the minor section to and from operative position, and means for maintaining said minor section between said fingers. 2. The combination set forth in claim 1, and

the means for maintaining the minor section be-' tween said fingers comprising a prop arm on one of said minor sectionrlevers and arranged to engage said minor section.

3. The combination set forth in claim 1, and combined brace and tie means connecting'said brackets.

4. In a mold core including a pair of major sections and a minor section upon whichthe major'sections are adapted to close; .the combination of bracket members, hinge means carrying said bracket members and connecting said major sections-along one longitudinal edge whereby said major sections can be actuated to completedisengagement from the work; aligned bearings'adjacent the inner ends of said bracket members, an actuator rod in said bearings, means on said actuator rod and operatively connected to. said minor section for actuating the same immediate.-

ly the rod is moved, stops on said actuator rod, and collar-carried toggle-like supports for said major sections and slidable on said rod between actuated until the minor section has been actuated to or from its operative position according said bracket bearings 7 when the mold sections are collapsed with their lever and support means for for moving it to and from operative position, and a stop on said lever and support means adapted to'engage the rear face of said minor section to major sections will not be 7 to the direction of movement in said bearings.

of the actuator rod '5. The combination set forth in claim4 and including a second stop on said actuator rod and. arranged to engagev one of said bracket bearings after said major sections have been collapsed against one another following withdrawal of the minor section from operative position, whereby said bracket members cooperate with said rod and toggle-like major section supports for rais ing the collapsed core.

6. In a core mold having its major part providing inwardly and outwardly swingable opposed;

edge portions adapted to seat against aminor section which is mounted for movement to and from operative position; the combination of inwardly and laterally extending guide fingers carried by said mold adjacent said edge portions for guiding said minor section to and from operative position, and means independent of said outwardly swingable portions for confining saidminor section between said guide fingers at all times.

7. In a core mold having its major part provid-' ing inwardly and outwardly swingable opposed edge portions adapted to seat against a minorsec tion which is mounted for movement to and from o operative position; the combination of inwardly and laterally extending guide fingers carried by said'majorpart of theimold adjacent said edge portions for guiding said minor section to and from operative position, a combined operating said minor section limit rearward movement of same whereby to maintain it between said guide fingers.

CLAUDE G. RICHARDS. 

